It's the Summer Solstice here at Nintendo Life HQ in the UK, the longest day of the year. That comes at the end of the longest week of the year following E3, at which Nintendo had a mixed showing. What the event did deliver, in addition to some controversy and a clutch of wonderful moments, was a clearer look at the release line-up for the rest of the year; it gives us an opportunity, then, to consider the big games on the way.

The focus of this list is on retail Wii U games, as shoe-horning a couple of downloads into this feature seemed rather unfair; the fact is that there are plenty of Wii U eShop titles competing for places in their own list to come in the hopefully-not-too-distant future. On the flipside that means that this retail list has a couple of titles that, perhaps, will be lucky to accumulate 1% each in the poll at the end. They're not bad games, but we have plenty of evidence to suggest they won't push the buttons of the Nintendo Life community, either.

Oh, and there's no place for Animal Crossing amiibo Festival, as your humble writer and the editorial team simply don't feel it merits a place based on the limited evidence out of E3.

As always you'll be able to vote for your choice in a poll at the end, so without further ado let's list 10 of the biggest games still coming to Wii U in 2015.

E3 2015 - or to be specific the Nintendo World Championships - was a wonderful moment where this title truly shined. With the ability to switch between four visual sets for classic titles and to throw in charming amiibo-based characters, this will allow us to create and share devious masterpieces in various ways. It's evolved into a substantial, powerful level creation tool that'll also be home to some truly wonderful stages, and we're really looking forward to its arrival.

We finally had a good look at this title, with a final name and a clear sense of the direction it's taking. Utilising the GamePad in various ways, along with neat vehicle transformations and enough nostalgic throwbacks to satisfy any retro gamer, this is conceptually exciting. That said, this PlatinumGames co-development project has attracted critics for its visuals, and in our first impressions article we didn't get on brilliantly with the controls, either. There's plenty of excitement, but also a little concern - let's hope the final product will deliver the goods.

Kirby's Epic Yarn was a gorgeous platformer on Wii, and the aesthetic looks even more amazing in HD. With staple Yoshi platforming mechanics and clever puzzles in plentiful supply, this also has some so-cute-it-hurts Yarn Yoshi amiibo and neat in-game character designs based on the toys and also collectible within levels. We hope over-exposure doesn't make too many players jaded towards this, as it's a platforming treat.

Predecessor Xenoblade Chronicles had a torturous route to the West, but Nintendo has been quicker in preparing this one, no doubt feverishly working on localisation right up to the Holiday release. Monolith Soft is once again at the helm, and this adventure brings enormous alien world to explore and Skells (mechs known as Dolls in Japan) that'll make this writer squee once they're available to fly. This should keep plenty of Wii U owners busy into 2016.

A Wii U exclusive that effectively skipped E3 this year, this is the work of former Team Ninja boss and Ninja Gaiden chief Tomonobu Itagaki, and was originally set to be published by THQ for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Nintendo stepped in when the publisher folded; it'll feature up to 16 multiplayer modes and a diverse range of environments, with its mix of shooting and melee combat looking hugely entertaining.

This made a late appearance in the Treehouse broadcasts in LA, and is a welcome dose of suspense and horror on the Wii U. Picking up on the general approach of series predecessors, this one will also provide some neat usage of the GamePad as the camera, providing some promising motion controls to immerse us in the experience. The demo looked full of potential, so this could be a dark horse for the year on Wii U.

Sometimes it's enough for a game franchise to simply keep up its standard formula, and this probably qualifies in that category. This new entry has HD visuals, Jump Shots and Mega Mushrooms, and aside from that it's likely to serve up the familiar action that we rather enjoyed (most recently) in Mario Tennis Open; we think that's no bad thing in our first impressions.

Would this hugely successful toys-to-life title normally be in our list? Not necessarily, but a combination of a limited retail release slate in 2015 and the marketing coup of Nintendo securing unique Donkey Kong and Bowser-themed toys and Starter Kits is worth acknowledgement. This franchise is a big deal on the retail scene, and the Wii U version's prospects won't have been harmed by the arrival of Nintendo IP in the series.

Going head-to-head with Skylanders is this LEGO entry, which is surely as grave a threat to many bank accounts as buying a house or sports car. The most successful toy brand in the world is combining its brick-forming appeal with its long established video game formula, and as a result this could be one of the biggest-selling titles of the year. An honourable mention for Disney Infinity 3.0 at this stage, too, which will also have a big say in the toys-to-life market.

This is just days away at the time of writing and is only available at physical retail in Europe, so we're being big cheaters as we feel this deserves a mention, and don't want to deprive a 'Nindie' of a spot on the eShop list. That scandalous rule-bending aside, this is a lovely continuation of the franchise that benefits from the sizeable GamePad touch screen; we loved it in our Art Academy: Atelier review.

Let us know what you think of this list with a vote for your favourite in the poll below, while you can share views and post your own lists in the comments section.

Xenoblade and Yoshi, in that order. Been waiting for Art Academy since Sketchpad's release.Devil's Third, Fatal Frame, Mario Maker and Star Fox all look pretty interesting, too. Not too fussed about the rest tbh.

I have a feeling "Xenoblade Chronicles X" will be my GOTY and it will eat away a good chunk of my life in 2016. Also quite looking forward "Devil's Third" and "Star Fox Zero". I will probably end up buying everything eventually (along with a few others unlisted here) but the wait is killing me.

I have too many questions about Star Fox to be sure about placing it on this list. Xenoblade was #1 going into E3, but I cannot stop watching Mario Maker footage now. I need that game in my library asap.

Nintendo should really get their act together and stop with the EU and NA nonsense. No other big publishers still pulls stunts like this ... it's just one of those things they make people put up with for no good reason whatsoever.

@mjc0961 I guess you're joking OoThis is the best 1st party/exclusive line-up there is this year. Even better than the X1. The PS4 got like Until Dawn and UC Collection. I think I rather play Fatal Frame instead of Until Dawn, and UC 1-3 I already own and played. I'm still gonna get Halo 5 on X1, and some multiplatforms for PS4, plenty to play on the WiiU and only on the WiiU though.

No solid date for Devil's Third in NA is ridiculous. Nintendo needs to release a Wii U infographic highlighting every indie eshop and retail release coming the rest of the year. I'm guessing they probably have no clue anyway. Just an embarrassment at this point.

I really really really hope they upgrade Star Fox Zero before it releases!I've been waiting for a new SF game for years and I'll be very disappointed if the final version features those subpar graphics...

Let's be honest, there are 4 titles on there that hold most of our communities attention, and the rest are more niche titles due to blood or plastic figures or if you care for tennis or drawing. I've got a PS4 to fill in the gaps for me now, but still being honest it's those 4 wii U games that will hold my attention for the next 6 to 8 months. Who knows what happens after that.

It's funny how Tom mentioned his hope that overexposure to Yoshi's Woolly World doesn't make people feel jaded toward it by the time it's released. I've actually avoided all its Treehouse Live segments to avoid potentially feeling that way myself. I want to be able to explore each level without thinking I've seen it before. All things considered I absolutely can't wait for it!

I've also cut back on the amount of Xenoblade content I watch as well, for the same reason. The world looks so awesome that I can't wait to check it out and meet all the characters that inhabit it. It looks like a great deal of fun.

Super Mario Maker to me has always seemed like a game I'd either end up getting immersed in far more than I would have thought or trying out for a bit and then never really going back to. I still feel a bit torn between the two perspectives but the NWC really did do a great job of showing off the title and getting me excited for it. I may not get it at launch but I'll probably feel inclined to try it out at some point before the end of the year.

Star Fox Zero looks underwhelming in some ways but at the same time I think it still looks like fun to fly around and shoot stuff. I've actually never played a Star Fox game, so I'll be reading a lot of impressions to see if it makes sense to jump into the series with this one.

SF Zero, I'm convinced it'll be ready for action whenever they release it. Of course, if they delay it, I won't mind.

XCX and Mario Maker will also be mine.

Oh, I almost forgot Fatal Frame, Rodea, and Wooly World, and, of course, Disney Infinity 3.0 edition (my inner Star Wars fanboy is giddy for this one). If Devil's Third makes it to NA this year, I'll check it out, although admittedly it might not be very good. Seems like a pretty good year, and I've only covered what I'm getting on Wii U. Although this is a Nintendo site, I'll be gladly getting some more good games on my Xbox One at some point this year, although Fallout 4 will be a next year purchase because I know they'll put out a GOTY edition with all of the excellent DLC.

Way OT but: Oh, and @rjejr, Swords and Soldiers 2 is really good so far. It's got a lot of the same charm as the first one, only with a much goofier story and voice-acting. The production is really good for a 2D game.

@IceClimbers : I hope not. Devil's Third caught my attention last week with the developer video. Back on topic, Xenoblade looks good, but the impression I got from Japanese reviews was not the best. Hopefully, they're adding more for the EU and NA releases. I think Yoshi may end up being the best game on the list.

I want Xenoblada Cronichles X, Yoshis Wolly World, Mario Maker, Star Fox Zero, and Fatal Frame V! And i agree @mightykrypto Fatal Frame IV was MADE for the wii and Fatal Frame 2 was redone for it. WE SHOULD GET ATLEAST THOSE 2!!!!

I voted for Fatal Frame only because I know it won't be a huge vote getter, and I'm pretty unhappy how Nintendo gave it the shaft during E3 week, aside from one Treehouse presentation. Completely ignored in all of their release calendars.

Definitely Fatal Frame V. Followed by Rodea: Sky Soldier not listed here and Super Mario Maker is up there too. Also looking forward to Star Fox Zero and Devil's Third, but I'm a little cautious about those. Waiting for the reviews of those two. I'm also likely to pick up Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash and Yoshi's Woolly World, but I'm not getting Yoshi at release. I still have a few platformers in my backlog for now.
Art Academy is something I'd rather play with in the winter holiday season, so I might buy it then.
I haven't played Xenoblade Chronicles yet, I want to play that first before I get XCX.

I'm also keeping my eye on Skylanders SuperChargers and Mighty No. 9, but right now I'm not sure I'll get those.

0% for Art Academy? That's a shame, cuz after Mario Maker that's my next choice. With a wife and 2 kids I can't afford to spend time on a game as awesome as Xenoblade, but they can't argue with creativity

Anyways, I'm definitely looking forward to Xenoblade the most, followed by Fatal Frame, Star Fox Zero, Super Mario Maker, and Devil's Third. I also have Battlefront and Fallout 4 to worry about on my PS4. A couple of those purchases might have to be relegated to 2016 haha.

On the eShop list, I'm gonna take a guess and say that Freedom Planet and the rest of the [email protected] games are on the list, as well as Octodad, FAST Racing Neo, and a few others.

Mario Maker and Xenoblade for me, for sure, then I'll probably get Yoshi's Woolly World to play with my girlfriend. I haven't seen enough of Devil's Third or Fatal Frame, but there's a chance I pick them up as well.

I voted fatal frame, but I'm also picking up for sure mario maker, xenoblade, yoshi and devils third, however one of my most anticipated tittles releasing this year on the wii u, is missing both on the poll and on coverage on the site, and that is, FAST RACING NEO

Aside from Mario Maker, the first half of the list is pretty good. Likely won't be getting everything though, since I have other platforms to take off and Neptunia takes priority over EVERYTHING for me.

Super Mario Maker looks better the closer we get to release, and I really like the idea of a book being packed with the game as a companion/guide to it. Sure, the game itself will include tutorials and videos, but I like having something tangible as a reference, with which the players can learn about the game even when they're not at the console... it gives a new dimension to the experience (its inclusion will probably make the game a fully-priced one, but that doesn't bother me much...).

Star Fox still hasn't convinced me, but I'm wishing for it to get better with each passing month. It will arrive in less than six months, and I really hope Nintendo and PlatinumGames are able to pull it off in time (and, if they're not, there's always the option of free DLC à la Splatoon).

Xenoblade has been anticipated for two years, and it's nice to see how it finally arrives, but I'll be less worried when it has a definite release date in Europe.

In the inmediate future, Yoshi's Woolly World looks delightful... it's shaping up to be the best Yoshi game since Yoshi's Island two decades ago (and yes, that is saying quite a lot). Art Academy is interesting; not that I'm able to draw anything that isn't an incomprehensible doodle, but Sketchpad already served to produce very nice pieces of art on Miiverse, and a tool that helps realise picures like these is welcome. And despite it being there for a month already, Splatoon's DLC releases promise fun discoveries during this summer.

But what I really want to see is something related to Zelda Wii U. Something substantial, dammit; not a mere "we're working on it".

I voted devils third!!
I consider yoshi as already out as it's just days away from arriving at my door and it was bought months ago.(less time before Lego Jurassic world comes out in July,why was this game not featured??)
XCX is going to be great but really isn't my type of game normally, I'll almost certainly pick it up to try as the quality is clearly there but I'm not confident I'll be rushing to get it loaded up asap.....
otherwise just starfox interests me and I want that to be great so much that I'm better off ignoring it and hopefully being surprised in a good way in time (fingers crossed) .

Fatal FrameXenobladeDevils ThirdMario MakerRodea Sky SoliderRetail Mighty Number 9Star FoxAnd maby legend of Kay aniversery. It depends on how much work Nordic put into it. I don't expect a lot due to it being a budget title.

The only game on this list which interests me is Star Fox Zero and that's a maybe at best.

I'm still enjoying MK8 and Splatoon at the moment and I am finishing off Zelda Wind Waker HD, but after that I'm in trouble. Picking up a PS4 to fill the gap because I see a lean 12 to 18 months ahead for the Wii U.

I might give Fatal Frame a go, doesn't look like my sort of thing but it's something different so I want to support it.

Does Mario Maker come with pre-made levels? I don't see myself making many levels or having the patience to trawl through all the no effort, self-playing or insanely difficult levels to find the few well-made gems. But I do want that packaging. I don't know why. It's just...so pleasing.

Making me choose between the top four choices is like making me choose a favorite child. I'm definitely getting those games when they come out. Maybe except for Xenoblade and StarFox, just because at that time of the year, I get banned from buying myself things.

fatal frame definitely its a great and original series , sadly i dont have a wiiu but i wish 3ds would get a fatal frame game , i know xenoblade will get all the hype but i hope peeps get behind fatal frame it would be a sad day without any japanese survival horror.

Project Zero title sucks. I wish they already went with Fatal Frame title on EU. Will be getting Yoshi, Xenoblade, Fatal Frame, SM Maker, Star Fox, Mario Tennis and Art Academy. Now I'll get Devil's Third ONLY if it supports gyro aiming.

Honestly, this lineup is enough for me. Woolly World, Xenoblade, and Star Fox are all games that I'm genuinely excited for. But I need to finish playing the games I have first, including a few that I picked up on Steam this past week.

@MightyKrypto Plenty of people have mentioned FFV. The problem is the poll just asks for the game you're looking most forward to. FFV can be 3rd or 4th on everyone's list and still end up getting no votes because it's not likely many will put it ahead of games like Xenoblade.

It has to be Xenoblade Chronicles X for me. While I'm looking forwards to Rodea, Super Mario Maker, Yoshi's Woolly World, Art Academy Atelier, Star Fox Zero, Devil's Third, and Project Zero, Xenoblade Chronicles X is a game I can see myself sinking hours into exploring the planet.

Actually, come to think of it, where is Rodea the Sky Soldier on this list?

I wish more people would buy into games like Fatal Frame and Devil's Third on Nintendo consoles. I fear that low sales in such genres will tell Nintendo to not bother releasing such games in the west in the future.

Obviously I understand that these games are never going to appeal to everyone but sometimes I feel that people think because they don't feature Mario, Zelda or Sammus, they aren't worth paying attention to.

I'm definitely getting Xenoblade and Mario Maker (need to look more into Star Fox before making a decision on that, and Lego Dimensions I'm getting on PS4), but I picked Xenoblade because it releases on my birthday.

Glad to see Xenoblade winning this, as it will probably be the final Wii U exclusive worth anything (Zelda is going to NX, ladies and gents). It's by far my most anticipated game on Wii U this year. Fatal Frame, Devil's Third, Yoshi, Star Fox, and Mario Maker are all tied for second.

Fatal Frame was generally well received in Japan, so it should be worth playing.

I'm curious if my suspicion on how bad Devil's Third is will be right. Nintendo is trotting that game out to die despite being the publisher.

Mario Maker is whatever. I'm sure it's fun, but given that it's a DIY tile set game spinoff, $60 is pretty steep. It feels like Nintendo did a 180 on how that game is perceived. It went from being this cute little spinoff to being their bell cow. I'll get it eventually, but will avoid for now.

Woolly World looks dull, to be honest, but if I can get my hands on one of those bundles with the green yarn Yoshi amiibo, then I'll get it.

Star Fox is a big question mark. Obviously the demo wasn't well received. I'm glad to hear you can turn off the gyroscope controls - now add Pro Controller support. I just want this to not control like a gimmick game. I want to believe that Miyamoto decided to make a new Star Fox because it was time and it made sense. Not because he saw an opportunity to exploit Star Fox's game design and game play to try weird new things with the Wii U Gamepad. Also this game needs a ton of polish before it reaches the public. I suspect that's why it was only given a tentative date as holiday 2015 rather than a concrete one. Nintendo really needs a November release to sell to Christmas shoppers, but Star Fox may just not be ready.

And where's Rodea and Mighty No. 9? I've got Rodea on pre-order (and I suggest any collector do the same), because that game will be valuable some day. It's so far under the radar and the original print will come bundled with a Wii game. Combined the fact that the Wii U will go down as Nintendo's worst selling console ever, and what you have is one very valuable game in about 15 years. I'll also be getting Mighty on PS4 (signature edition). Not sure I'd necessarily recommend it, though. It's only a $30 game, but quality is still questionable given the beta and trailers.

I want Star Fox Zero & Yoshi's Woolly World!!!!!!!! Devils Third looks interesting hope it gets its own Nintendo Direct so I can make a decision on it. Star Fox & Yoshi are Pre Order Day 1 Buys !!!!!!!!!!!!!

@KillScottKill They already stated that gamepad controls are required, you can't play starfox without it. This is really my main problem with this game because I'm really bad at managing lots of things at once.

Art Academy won't get a lot of votes, even I didn't vote for it, but I just want to give it a mention because just like Super Mario Maker, it's one of the few games that genuinely shows of the cool features of the Wii U GamePad, which aren't available/possible on other consoles.

The top three games on that list for me are:
1. Super Mario Maker
2. Yoshi's Woolly World
3. Art Academy: Atelier

Toss up between Mario Maker and Fatal Frame for me. They're obviously such different sorts of titles that it's hard for me to pick one, but they're both Day 1 purchases. Yoshi is also a Day 1 buy, along with that adorable plush Amiibo. Little on the fence with Star Fox, given some of the mixed reactions out of E3, so that's a maybe. I will also be buying Lego Dimensions (and the Back To The Future pack), but that's a PS4 purchase, Trophies being the deciding factor there for me,

@MightyKrypto Well glad you asked. 1) I am a total chicken when it comes to horror games. Fatal frame on wii u sounds like a game I would be too freaked out to have fun with. 2) Horror is already a fairly niche genre.

Pretty much in that order, and I plan to buy all of these games. Pretty solid list for the rest of year. With these games, indie titles and not to mention my backlog, I still have plenty to play on Wii U.

@SnuggleMon The Treehouse video was quite, informative. It shows three people played for about twenty minutes, and at no point do any of them do anything. I'm a huge fan of the series, and this looks to strip away all the fun, and replace it with amiibo buying.

When I look at what the next 6 months of gaming looks like....it's a great day to be a Nintendo fan. Great exclusives and original games instead of bland over hyped fps. And that's 6 months away...not 2 years like lots of e3s games are going to be. That's why Nintendo wins.

I picked Star Fox, but I'll probably also be picking up Mario Maker and Xenoblade Chronicles. Funny, I''m a huge Mario fan, but Yoshi titles have never really compelled me to buy. So Wooly World is a big maybe for me.

Yoshi, Fatal Frame and XCX for sure.I hope Nintendo will put Project Zero 2 on eShop: the controls were quite bad on Wii, but if they switch them to the gamepad I'm sure the fans will download it even if they already have it as I would do.

Definitely "Xenoblade Chronicles X" with "Star Fox Zero" as the easy runner up. I don't care much about the rest of the lineup.

While "Kirby's Epic Yarn" is indeed a gorgeous platformer, it's also a boring platformer devoid of any sense of fun or challenge. It's like they decided that not only should we nix Kirby's standard abilities, but we should also turn his newest release into an extremely simple puzzle platformer and toss in a few on-rails transformation sections and some ranks and lame collectables to give the illusion of challenging replay value through the slogfest levels despite the fact that they don't do anything useful aside from unlocking a few extra levels if you do well enough on the boss fights, those boss fights being the only slightly redeeming thing (aside from the cute visuals) in the game. Throw in the fact that I've never cared much for the "Yoshi's Island" gameplay mechanics in the first place [awkward controls for both jumping and attacking (which were then carried over to make Yoshi my second least favorite Smash Bros. character ahead of only Olimar/Alph), overly strict ammo limit, no physical combat abilities, awkward and lame indirect "health" system (although it's probably an improvement over what this new game offers)], and "Yoshi's Wooly World" is a big fat "NO" in my book.

Looking forward to a few games off the list. Xenoblade Chronicles X is a definite purchase day one. I'm going to pick up Yoshi's Woolly World but might leave it for someone to buy me for my Bday late August.

Star Fox Zero & Devil's Third are next on the list but I'll need a little bit more convincing.

Though I'll probably get all of them, minus Lego and Skylanders. My top 3 would have to be Xenoblade X, Fatal Frame and Starfox Zero. I'm getting Yoshi's Woolly World in a couple of days and Devils Third is only a couple of months away for Australia.

But Rodeo the Sky Soldier is missing! This is a big game too iny my opinion and im really excited about it. (and would it in place 3 as well^^)Its really nice how much is coming out this year... i have 9 Wii U Retail Titles on my List.. the 5 i mentioned + legend of kay (even its a multi^^), project zero, star fox and art academy <:

None of these are games I'm eagerly looking forward to. XCX has just taken too long and exhausted my excitement. Plus, I'm getting a weary of massive RPGs, especially if my choices and actions don't affect the game ending. Mario Maker isn't a $60 game to me. The rest are titles that I'll look at when they release but not much before.

But overall none of these are games that I'm going to follow closely until release, preorder, or eagerly look forward to. If they release, they release. To be honest, all the consoles feel that way to me, which is why I don't have a PS4 or X1.

I'll play S&S2 someday. I don't think it's value will diminish over time - unlike Spaltoon, once people move on - and they will - the game is dead, no 2 ways around that. 4v4 no bots is a built in death sentence.

Super Mario Maker and Xenoblade- unlike most people from just the features we've seen so far, I think SMM is definitely worth 60$. One thing I haven't seen yet that would definitely finish off the features we've seen so far is multiplayer. Please Nintendo? Also one reason I want Xenoblade is because of the large character customization, I'm really in to that sort of thing.

Surprised that Xenoblade has more votes than Star Fox or Mario Maker, though that's a good sign for the game itself.

I actually voted for Devil's Third, as I rightly assumed that it'd be the least voted among the five I'm so eagerly anticipating: Devil's Third, Fatal Frame, Xenoblade, Star Fox, and of course, Mario Maker.

My thoughts: Mario maker: great idea but could turn in to cant be bothered. Star fox ruined by no online or multiplayer Xeon blade no voice chat will make this very dull.Devils third cant wait online multiplayer voice chat two game styles winnerFatal frame the more I see of this the less I likeYoshi cute but too cute more for the girlsMario tennis crapSkylanders crapLego crapArt academy just stick to the app.

Come on Nintendo when you make a great game you ruin it with your no online no voice chat no violence no blood no fun policies! It's time to sack Miamoto and Iwata and put Reggie in charge!